The Potter Chronicles: Ministry Dream
by Distant Lands
Summary: Book one of The Potter Chronicles.    Lily starts to rebel against her family, James starts acting stranger and stranger, and Al discovers his sexuality. Meanwhile, Ginny thinks Harry's spending too much time at work and not enough with the family.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: Okay, so this is my very first attempt at anything like this. Most of the stuff I've written before has been crack. **

**In my world, James is two years older than Albus, and Al is one year older than Lily. Therefore making James seventeen, Al fifteen, and Lily fourteen.**

**Before you even start reading this, it **_**will**_** have **_**slash**_** in it. Just thought I'd let you know in case that isn't your cup of tea.**

**The reason this is so short is because it's only a prologue. Please tell me if you'd like me to continue.**

My family used to be completely normal. Well, sort of. As normal as the family of Harry Potter, the saviour of the entire wizard world, can get.

First, there's my older brother, James Sirius Potter. According to my father, he certainly lives up to his namesakes; proud Gryffindor, captain of the Quidditch team, second best in his year, blah, blah, blah. James also has this dreadful habit of pulling pranks on me, ever since I was little. He practically made me terrified to go to Hogwarts, telling me all these lies about the Sorting and other, for lack of a better word, stuff. 'Course, he's my brother and I love him, but he can be a right pain in the arse.

Then there's me; Albus Severus Potter (don't comment on the name, I already put up with enough rubbish about it from Scorpious Malfoy). I am a quiet, observant, and bright Ravenclaw. Yes, Ravenclaw, not Gryffindor. I'm the top of my year, best subject being Charms, and a prefect. I know, nowhere close to the "awesomeness of James" (as he likes to put it), but I don't care.

Last, but not least, Lily Luna Potter; my "baby" sister. It wasn't that much of a shock to my dad when she was sorted into Slytherin, as she has been able to manipulate almost anyone she wants into giving her whatever she wants ever since she was five. It's never really worked on Mum and Dad, of course, but our large extended family are a completely different story. Lily's extremely rebellious as well, which is why this family is no longer normal.

It all started that one day when I heard Mum screaming at Lily... 


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Since I got so much feedback for this story, I decided to put up the first chapter today. I apologize in advance if any of the charafters seem OOC to you. This is just the way I imagine them :). Okay, this has extremely mild slashy content. Meaning that unless you have super sensitive slash detectors, than you will probably miss it. And it mentions incest. One-sided, though.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or anything, for that matter. If I owned it, why would I be writing **_**fan**_** fiction?**

"LILY LUNA POTTER! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" I heard Mum shriek, sounding horrifyingly like Grandma, from inside my bedroom.

Putting down my book, I walked to the side rail of the stairs to see what Mum was so uptight about. I was not prepared for what I saw when I looked at my sister.

"I got my lip pierced," Lily said in a tone that clearly stated 'Mum-you're-stupid'. "Duh."

"Don't you _dare_ 'duh' me, young lady!" Mum's voice now sounded calmer, but her face was almost the color of her hair. "You told me you were going over to Rose's!"

"I lied." I could tell Lily bit back another 'duh'.

"And what happened to your hair? It was beautiful." Mum now picked up a blacklock rather than the usual red.

"I dyed it." Lily rolled her eyes; not a smart move.

"Do not roll your eyes at me, and stop speaking like those Americans! Accent, lingo, all of it! You are not one!"

"Whatever."

"See what I mean? You are not a foreigner! You are _British_."

I suddenly heard a low whistle behind me; James.

"Whoa, sis. What happened to you?"

This earned another eye roll, though now directed at our elder brother. "I dyed my hair and got a piercing, dumbass."

"STOP WITH THE AMERICAN SWEARING! STOP WITH EVERYTHING!" yelled Mum, "LILY, GO TAKE THAT RIDICULOUS PIECE OF METAL OUT OF YOUR LIP NOW! James, Albus, this is between your sister and I; go back to your rooms."

"Sounded like this was going to involve Dad, too," Lily said, voice dripping with disrespect. She was so dead.

"Don't give me any of your smart-mouth, Lily Luna! What did I say before? Go take that piece of rubbish out of your lip!"

"Actually, you said 'metal' not rubbi-"

"GO!"

"Whatever Mom," said Lily, using an American accent while pushing James and I up the stairs on her way to her bedroom.

"STOP WITH THE FOREIGN ACCENT!" Mum yelled, and then continued in a lower voice, "Just wait until your father gets home."

I headed back to my room with James following me. I sat down on my bed, picking up my book, and pretending to read, hoping this would get him to leave. However, he just sat there like the cocky berk he was, and stared at me.

"What do you want, James?" I asked, looking over the top of my book.

"Lily's in for the longest lecture ever from Dad. I swear, his talks are longer, not to mention way more boring, than Binns'."

"How did I know you'd want to gossip about our lovely sister?"

"Hey, I'm just saying. You don't need to get your pants in a twist."

"I'm sorry. I kinda just feel like... like I've somehow always known this would happen."

"This conversation?"

"No, you dolt. Lily, the direction she's going in, the path she's chosen-"

"And all that other crap that no one cares about but you and Mum. Got it," James said.

"Not like you'd care. All you ever care about is how much of a cocky bas-" At that moment, James started snickering. "What the hell is so funny?"

"N-nothing," he said, laughing through his nose, or something like that.

"Cocky? Only you would find that funny, you wanker."

"Me? Wanking? Pff, like I would ever need to wank. I have girls who want to shag me all the time."

"If you mean your 'fan club' that consists of Roxanne, ew, and Rose's friend, whatever her name is, than yeah, you've got hundreds of girls flanking to your side."

"Roxanne likes me?"

"And she's your cousin!" I made fake gagging sounds.

"Oh, _that_ Roxanne."

"No, the Roxanne that is the daughter of Gregory Goyle! Of course that Roxanne, you git!"

"How come almost every other sentence you say to me always is 'you' and then an insult?"

"How come every conversation I have with you turns into sex?" This time, however, James didn't start laughing, but looked at me... strangely. "I didn't mean that! I meant it turns into us _talking_ about sex."

"Well then why don't you say what you mean?" James asked, much more serious than he was before.

"Merlin, do you have to be such a pervert?"

"Trust me, Al, you don't know what a pervert I am."

"I think I have a pretty good idea."

James looked at me with this strange look in his eye, then went on to say, "No, you really don't. You think Roxanne is pretty messed up, right?"

I nodded.

"Trust me, I'm much worse than she is. Hell, I'm a sodding... I can't think of a word horrible enough."

"You can't have done anything that bad, James."

"It's not what I've physically done, Al. It's what I think, dream; you don't understand."

"How do you know? You say you're worse than Roxanne? I mean, the only think that would be worse is... Merlin! You don't fancy Lily, do you?"

"No! I mean, she's my sister."

"Well, then it can't be that bad. C'mon, what is it? You can tell me."

"No, Al. I'm afraid I can't." James got up, walked out of my room, and closed the door behind him.

I just sat there, staring at where he walked out, pondering what could be worse than wanting a cousin, such as Roxanne did, but less than wanting Lily. _Then again,_ I thought, _He never said it was less worse than fancying Lily. He just said he didn't like her_. _What in Merlin's name could be worse than wanting to shag your cousin, but not wanting to shag your only sister?_

_Plus, why did he get so weird after me mentioning sex? I mean, he's not normally like that, right?_

For once in my life, I couldn't figure out a puzzle.

**Author's note: What did you think? Love it, hate it? I am planning on putting up the next chapter on the fifteenth.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's note: I finished this chapter way earlier than expected. So, I decided to post it. **

**This chapter is quite a bit longer than the last one. Hope you're all happy with that.**

"James! Albus! Dinner's ready!" I heard Mum call from the kitchen. I heard James race down the hallway outside my bedroom door, then followed him down.

"Mum, where's Dad? He said that he'd be here for dinner tonight," James asked as he pulled out a seat and plopped onto it.

"Your father said he wouldn't be home until at least eleven." Mum then proceeded to pull a lasagna from the muggle oven.

"Of course," Lily said, deciding she would show up for the meal. "He's never around anymore."

"Dad promised to play a game of Quidditch with me tonight." A disappointed look now sat upon James' face.

"Lily, I never want to hear words like that come out of your mouth. James, I'm sorry, but you know how hard your father's working to make more money," Mum said while scooping some lasagna onto Lil's plate.

"Doesn't he understand that we don't care about more money? All we want is him to be around!" I suddenly shouted. Well, not so suddenly; I just happened to say what was on my mind.

Mum, James, and Lily stared at me. "Wow," was what uttered from Lily's mouth, which still had the lip-ring on it, "Normally I'm the one who makes family meals an 'event'. Good to see little Albie isn't so perfect anymore."

"Oh, shut up," I muttered to her.

"Albus, your father is around plenty. He's here every night."

"You mean early in the morning, Mum. Seriously, he's here for what? One to five a.m.? We never get to _see_ him."

"You saw him Saturday."

"For the thirty minutes he stopped by for lunch? Yeah, Mum, that was real great," Lily said, rolling her eyes at her lasagna, which was now sitting in front of her.

"Lily Luna, how many times do you want to give me that tone today? I swear, you are becoming a nightmare," Mum said, then adding quietly, "We never had this many problems with your brothers."

"Oh, so I'm the family freak now, am I? Just because I'm not an arrogant Gryffindor or a poofy Ravenclaw? Yeah, I can see how it is!" Lily shouted, standing up. _She's seriously overreacting, _I thought, _Mum never said anything about houses_.

"First of all, your father and I are both Gryffindors-"

"Well then maybe that's your problem!"

"You will _not _speak to me that way. Second, you shall not insult Albus."

"_Shall _not? What is this, Shakespeare? Plus, everyone knows Al's gay!" _Wait, what?_

"And what makes you say that your brother is homosexual, Lily?" Mum asked, now looking at me oddly; not quite with disdain, but...

"He's never had a girlfriend for one." _Yeah, Lily. Just because I've never having dated some obnoxious girl means I'm gay. Ha, funniest thing ever..._

"Maybe he's just a late bloomer."

"Mum, he's _fifteen_. Dad was a late bloomer and he started noticing girls when he was, what? Fourteen?"

By this time, James had finished his dinner, and asked, "May I be excused, Mum?"

"Yes, you may." I could hear James breathe a sigh of relief.

"Actually, I believe your father noticed Cho Chang, his first girlfriend, in third year during a Quidditch match," Mum said, while watching James leave the table.

"Same difference. Another thing about Al," she looked at me, "Is that he when he starts to 'stare off into space', that space always occupies a certain blond, _Slytherin_ boy." _Did I really always do that? I mean, sometimes I thought about Scorpious Malfoy, but those thoughts are normally about how annoying he is,_ I mused.

"Oh, really?" Mum now looked at her food with what was fake interest.

"Yes, really. A blond Slytherin that goes by the name of-"

"Lily!" I shouted, "The only reason I do that is because he's such a pest! He always teases me about my name and-"

"Enough you two!" Mum suddenly stood up. "Lily, is something wrong? Why do you feel the need to splurge about your brother's personal life? You can tell me." _Feigning calm; good call Mum._

"Forget it. I'm a _Slytherin_, remember? We're all 'slimy gits' in the words of Dad's 'oh-so-wise' godfather." Lily stood up and walked out, taking her plate upstairs with her. _Or not so good._

"You are not allowed to eat up there! Come back down, now!" Mum yelled, but it was futile. The only person who could truly get Lily to do what he wanted was Dad. The fact that he was gone at the moment just meant she was going to push her limits; and Mum's buttons.

Funnily enough, Mum didn't follow Lily up the stairs and bang on her bedroom door until she gave the plate to her. All Mum did was put on a 'kind' smile (as kind as a furious mother can get), and sat down next to me.

"So..." she began slowly, "Seen any cute girls, lately?"

"Mum, if this is about what Lily said I'm-"

"Just answer the question, dear," Mum said, a little too sweetly.

"Er..." I decided it would be best if I made one up. After all, half the school was my related family. "Yeah, actually. Her name is... Flora."

"Sounds like a sweet girl. What's her surname?"

_ Oh, bollocks. _I was stuck thinking about Scorpious Malfoy, and quickly said, "Malfoy."

"Flora _Malfoy_?" Mum said slowly, ending her sentence with an air of question.

"Yeah. She's Scorpious' younger sister!"

"Uh-huh." Mum was obviously not buying this.

"I'll do the dishes, Mum. I'll be the kind brother I am and give James the night off." I quickly gathered up the plates, willing to go anything to get out of this awkward conversation. Unfortunately, that plan had not worked. Mum simply just followed me into the kitchen, where I started to wash the dishes without magic (Don't ask why; my mum believes in good, old-fashioned, muggle work).

"Albus," she asked, putting on the motherly face that always made you feel better when you were five and had scraped your elbow by falling off (or being pushed off by your older brother) your broom. "Honey... are you gay?"

I had never really thought about it before, but now was definitely not the time. "Honestly, Mum, I don't know. Right now I'd like to focus on my schoolwork, and not on relationships." _Great answer, Al. Now that you really do sound like a Ravenclaw, she'll just assume that the other half of the crap Lily said about me was true._

"You should do that, Al. That's what your father did, mostly." _Huh? How come she's being so calm with all of this?_

By now, I had finished the dishes and walked into the living room. I sat down on the sofa in front of the muggle telly (it was off, though). Mum continued to stare at me to the point of the feeling becoming creepy.

"Something you need, Mum?" I asked, "I would like to watch some television, if that's okay."

"You're just..." Mum didn't finish her sentence, but instead walked over and through her arms around me. Getting hugs from Mum was something all of us kids usually tried to avoid, but I could tell that something was on her mind; I just let her sit there and hold me in her arms.

...

I awoke at two in the morning to hushed voices and harsh whispers. Getting up, I decided to see what was going on. Using my "ninja skills" (James calls my ability to move around quietly that. If you ask me, he watches too much telly) and Dad's invisibility cloak, I crept half-way down the stairs. When I peered over the banister, I saw one of the most lovely scenes ever (note major sarcasm).

Mum was there, glaring furiously at Dad. Dad had his Ministry robes and his boots still on, so I figured he must have just gotten home. I grabbed one of Uncle George's Extendable Ears out of my pocket, and lowered it so I could hear their whispers.

"Harry James Potter," Mum whispered fiercely, "Lily is just as much your daughter as she is mine! You're also the only one she listens to and takes seriously!"

"Listen, Ginny. I really don't feel like dealing with her right now. Plus, she's asleep," Dad said, sounding extremely tired.

"But when she's awake, you'll be at work!"

"I'll talk to her Sunday, okay?"

"But it's Monday now! It'll be six more days for her to do whatever she wants, including getting a tattoo!"

"Actually, Ginny, it's two hours into Tuesday."

"Whatever! Then again, the tattoo won't matter that much to you, as your godfather had them."

"There's no need to bring Sirius into this conversation, Ginevra." Mum looked taken aback at being called her full name.

"Well then let's just bring some of the, what did they call themselves again? Oh yes, _Marauders_. Let's bring some of the other Marauders into this discussion. How about your father?" _Mum, don't! You know how much Dad hates talking about his dad._

"What about him?" Dad replied, with a detectable chill to his voice.  
>"He didn't leave your mother and you to achieve a higher position at the Ministry! He stayed around, and <em>died<em> to save you and your mother."

"I would die for you and the kids any day, Ginny."  
>"That's why you're never around, is because you'd give your life for us? That the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard!"<p>

"I'm never around because I'm trying to make sure we have enough money for all of us to have a comfortable life. After all, I'm pretty sure I'm close to becoming Head Auror."

"What will it be after you achieve that position, Harry? Minister for Magic? Do you even know what Lily said at dinner tonight? She said that you're never around anymore, and she's right! You know, your absence from this family has caused so many problems! James hasn't been acting like his normal self, Albus is supposedly gay, and Lily is slowly turning into one of those American punks!" I cringed at Mum saying that I'm 'supposedly gay'. Honestly, I didn't know if I was or not.

"What? Al's gay?" Dad suddenly looked much more alert.

"That's what Lily said earlier, but with her lately, who knows if it's the truth or not."

"Somehow, I doubt all that stuff about Lily. She's always been a very sweet girl; it's hard for me to imagine her as the little rebel you say that she is."

"It's all because of you! Your being gone has this effect on everyone, Harry Potter! Stop chasing down this... this Ministry dream and come home!" Mum now had tears trickling down her face.

"It'll just be a bit longer, honey," Dad said, and tried to put his arm around Mum. Rather than accept it, Mum shook him off.

"Don't you dare 'honey' me. It's like I'm not even your wife anymore." Mum decided to run up the stairs at this moment.

Mum came out of her room about three minutes later with some of our old blankets and threw them at Dad. "You can sleep on the couch tonight, Harry."

…

After Mum was in bed, I sneaked back into my room and took off the cloak. Flopping down on the bed, I started to think about what Lily had said earlier. About Scorpious Malfoy, I mean.

_You like him, Albus. You're _gay_. Sometimes you think about how _damn sexy_ he is, _said some evil little devil voice in my head.

_That's ridiculous, Al. You're not gay. You just haven't found the right person yet. _It was an angelic voice, kind of like Lily's when she was ten.

_ What about those 'arousing' dreams that had an unidentifiable person in them with _blond _hair? Hm? _Merlin, go away!

_ That was merely coincidental. He isn't gay!_

_ Yes, he is._

I laid there while waiting to fall back asleep. Unfortunately, sleep never came.

...

**Author's note: Wow, that's the longest chapter I've ever written. I know it may not seem that long, but it's long to me. **  
><strong>Again, love it? Hate it? I appreciate feedback and constructive criticism.<strong>  
><strong>I'm planning on putting up chapter three somewhere between the 14<strong>**th**** -16****th****.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's note: I never really wanted to be one of those authors (like Tara Gilesbie) who had to ask/beg/kill for reviews, but I would appreciate some feedback. As this is my first decent (at least in my opinion) story, I would definitely like input. I have had two favorites, and at least five alerts. I only have four reviews for my prologue and two chapters.**

** Now, on with the story.**

...

It was about seven in the morning when I was called down for breakfast. Normally, I would be awakened by this and take about fifteen minutes to wake up, but I had already been up for about five hours. The fight that Mum and Dad had not stopped replaying in my head.

As I was walking down the hall, I slipped and crashed into James.

"What the hell, Albus? Why did you knock me over?" James yelled. _Merlin, why is he being so stroppy?_

"It was an accident, James. You know how slippery the wood floor is when you're in socks."

"Well take your socks off first. Duh."

"Well, if it isn't my two brothers snogging each other on the floor in the hallway. Ooh, how scandalous." Lily put on a smirk that only a Slytherin could manage. "I'm sure Mum and Dad wouldn't be happy with such an incestuous relationship." Why did she have to be such a... bitch?

"Shut up, Lily! He shoved me!" James looked furious. If he wasn't male, I'd say it was his 'time of the month'.

"He shoved you? Are you sure he didn't shove _into _you? Maybe up your-"

"James, what is with you? You're acting like a total arse," I said.

"Funny, that's just the place I was suggesting you put your prick."

"And you, Lily, are not acting any better! I am not **gay**, okay? Why can't anyone see that? Hell, _Dad _even thinks that I'm gay, no thanks to you!" Okay, maybe I need to shut up.

"Dad was here?" Lily asked, obviously forgetting the previous argument.

"That doesn't matter! What matters is that you are suggesting that I am in a gay relationship with my _brother_. That doesn't mean anything, now does it?" Please note major sarcasm on that last sentence.

"Merlin, Al. I was _joking_. Because unlike some people," she glared at James and I, "I happen to have a sense of humor. Oh, and Al, Dad being here _does _matter." With that, Lily stomped down the stairs, muttering something that sounded an awful lot like 'I hope Mum didn't make oatmeal'.

"James, Albus! Are you going to come down for breakfast before it gets cold? We're having pancakes and bacon!" Mum yelled. _Lily ought to be happy,_ I thought.

James finally got up off the floor and started to head down the stairs, and I followed, making sure I didn't bump into him again. When we entered the kitchen, Mum accidentally collided with my dear brother, and syrup got all over his shirt.

"I'm so sorry, James," she said quickly, hurrying over to where the timer for the bacon had just gone off.

"It's okay, Mum. I know you didn't mean to." _Mother of Merlin, hold on one bloody second! He just got completely cheesed off that I knocked him over! Mum just spilled syrup all over his bloody shirt, and he, apparently, doesn't give a damn!_

I had just received my prefect badge three days ago, and I was now determined to keep my temper. Therefore, I didn't mention a single thought that I had just had._ Ha, take that... someone_. Yeah, I need to work on my insults and comebacks.

"Earth to Al," Lily said, waving her hand in front of my face. "What are you doing? Daydreaming about your recent sexcapades with our brother?"

"What is she talking about?" Mum asked, looking up from her plate with sudden interest.

"Lily, drop it! I swear, you're unbearable! Mum, she's just been conjuring up some nonsensical stuff lately," I said, while resisting the incessant urge to slap my malignant sister. _Okay, maybe malignant was a slight exaggeration, but..._

"You think I'm making this whole thing up, Albus? Wow..." Lily had a fake look of disbelief on her face as she stabbed another piece of pancake and put it in her mouth.

"I do not want to shag James! He's my brother for Godric's sake!" Mum's eyes widened, and she stood up.

"What is all this about? Albus, I don't want to hear another negative thing come out of your mouth about your sister. Lily, where are you getting ideas like this?"

"Well," Lily started with an innocent look on her face. Who knows what her detrimental, Slytherin mind was making up at the moment. "A couple of weeks ago, I walked in on James wan- er, _pleasing _himself, and guess who's name he was saying." She turned to me. "I also saw Al and James snogging in the hall this morning." _What the sodding hell? We were not snogging! I swear, Lily's demonic._

Mum looked slightly sick at the mention of her eldest son tossing off, but turned to me and said, "Is this true, Albus?"

"I don't know about James, but I know that we were **not **snogging this morning." I did my best to keep myself from yelling.

"First of all, stop with the insults towards Lily, Albus. Second, why would you say something like that, Lily, if it never happened and isn't even true?"

"What did my perfect, prefect brother do that never happened and isn't true?" asked James, coming down the stairs, for he had just finished changing his shirt.

"Nothing, James," I said, but Mum was on another train of thought.

"James, I know this is a personal question, but," Mum hesitated for a second before continuing, "Were you and Al snogging in the hall this morning?"

Something seemed to click inside James, and make him completely vexed. "Hell no, Mum! He's my brother! What do you think I am, some sick-minded pervert?"

"James Sirius Potter, watch your mouth! And no, I do not think you're perverted."

"Good, because I'm not." _Great way to contradict yourself. What did you tell me yesterday, James? _"Oh, and Lily, I believe I need to talk to you for a minute." He grabbed her wrist and started taking her upstairs, leaving Mum and I alone. 

…

** Author's note: Sorry for this chapter being so short, but I don't want to move the story along too fast. **

** Ginny will be going to Diagon Alley in the next chapter! Do you want any of the kids to go with her (if Al goes, he might run into a certain Malfoy...), or would you rather see what trouble they can get into when left to their own devices?**


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers for the last chapter: GlambertGleeUSA, LLP, HugsandBugsSmileyface, 0Twisted-Symphony6, and JustMe90! As Tara would say, "Fangs 4 da god revoiws!"**

…

**Third Person POV**

James dragged Lily up the stairs and down the hall. Then, he proceeded to shoving her into his room, and closing the door behind him. He turned around to face his younger sister, looking livid.

"What are you going to do? Rape me?" Lily said sarcastically as she flumped onto his bed. "It's not like you don't have enough incest on your record."

"Shut the hell up, Lily! Where the hell are you getting this bollocked up information?" Lily had never heard James so furious before. Lily had been making all this up; but she was about to let James know that? Of course not! If anything, she might be able to figure out some real facts about her brother and blackmail him.

"What are you talking about?" She put a sugary smile on her face, looking quite angelic. Well, as angelic as one can look with a lip-ring.

"The total tripe you were telling Mum earlier! I mean, when the hell did you walk in on me wanking?" James said, sitting down in a chair.

_I never walked in on you, dear brother,_ Lily thought. _I'm just an excellent liar._

"A few weeks ago... the Tuesday before last, I think."

"Really? How come I didn't see you?" _So he was tossing off then. _Lily smiled. _I knew this would work._

"Because I had Dad's invisibility cloak, duh."

"But Dad gave that to Al, remember?"

"I sneaked into his room and took it while he was over at Teddy's. How daft are you?"

Completely ignoring her last sentence, James continued, "How come you said that Albus and I were snogging in the hall this morning? We were doing no such thing!"

"I said it just for the hell of saying it, but I would like to know what you two were really doing."

"The little berk smashed into me while he was walking out of his room." James put on a sneer worthy of a Slytherin. "That was all. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You seem to be trying to convince yourself of something, not me."

_Good one,_ Lily congratulated herself. _Grind on his every nerve._

"I'm doing no such thing! I'm not some sick, vile, dirty, gay, vulgar, **incestuous** perv! Seriously, Lily!" James shouted, standing up and throwing his hands above his head.

"You do realize you just used five adjectives to describe the certain kind of pervert you aren't."

"I don't care! They all suit my meaning!"

"You're starting to sound like Al. Plus, you were redundant."

"What?" James now had a look of disbelief on his face. "Here I am, trying to undermine all this crap you've been saying about me, and you have the audacity to call me _redundant_!"

"Yes. Sick, vile, dirty, and vulgar all mean the same thing." By playing it 'cool', Lily could exasperate James to the point of utter vexation. "Besides, I never said you were a pervert, nor what you were trying to convince yourself of."

"Now who sounds hell of a lot like Albus? Why do you feel the need to bring your brother into this, Lily?"

"Excuse me? _My_ brother? He's your brother, too, you know."

"Yeah, well, I don't want to be related to such a prick."

"If he's such a prick, what makes you think I'd want to be related to him?" Lily asked, idly grabbing a snitch that was lying on James' bedside table.

"Because you are... well, whatever you are!"

"Lame. That's all I have to say about your entire argument. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must being going. I have to catch the Muggle bus so I can go to the library."

"Lily Luna! You are not leaving my room until I'm finished talking!" James made a move for the exit, but Lily was faster. She opened the door and walked out.

"You sound almost identical to Mum when you scream at me," she said as she sauntered down the hall. 

…

**Albus' POV**

"I was not screaming at you, Lily!" I heard James shout.

"Sounded like you were to me," she replied.

Mum and I saw Lily swiftly descend the stairs and head for the front door. She had her hand on the doorknob when Mum said, "Now, where do you think you're going?"

No doubt she had an answer ready. "I'm catching a Muggle bus so I can go to the library; the Muggle one, that is. Have a problem with that?"

I could tell this was an absolute falsehood. Lily never read for fun, even when we had the wonderful library at Hogwarts. No, something fishy was going on. I just hoped Mum would be able to tell.

"I do not have a problem with that, Lily. However, Al and I were going to Diagon Alley today, and I was thinking you'd like to come with us." Mum's voice sounded quite steady and calm; highly unusual for her lately. Plus, I could tell she knew Lily wasn't really going to the library. Why was Mum acting like she was perfectly fine having Lily run around London and go wherever she wanted?

"Why would I want to go with my geeky, gay brother? I'd rather drown in a fishbowl." Well, there's a new 'I'd rather'; and a new insult for me. Sure, I may be a Ravenclaw, but that just means I'm smart. I'm not necessarily a 'geek'.

"Do you really feel the need to call Albus _gay_, Lily? Why would you accuse your brother of something so horrible?" Mum asked, struggling to keep calm.

"Because he is, Mother," she said, almost like she spat the words, but not quite as harsh. "I've seen the way he looks at a choice few _male_ students. Anyways, I have to get going!" That last sentence was so light-hearted, and the one before was added darkly. I have the weirdest sister on Earth.

"Come along, Albus. We need to get going." 

…

Madam Malkin's. Need I say more? It smells like old perfume and new cloth. Or, as my lovely brother put it, Grindylow piss. Don't ask me how he knows what that smells like.

All the same, it's one of my least favorite places one Earth. Especially today; that's where I ran into Scorpious Malfoy for the first time in one and a half months.

He looked as Malfoy as ever, with his blond hair slightly falling into his deep grey eyes. His tall, muscular body (he was Chaser on the Quidditch team) was clothed in well fitting robes (he had probably just been trying them on). His- _Merlin! I sound like a bloody poof! _

"Hello, Albus," he said, not having the usual disgust in his voice.

"Hi, Scorpious," I said slowly, trying to keep my eyes looking into his.

"Father and I were just trying to pick out some new robes. What do you think of these ones?" He turned around in a full circle, and for some reason, I started... gaping. _Keep it together, Albus. Don't react to him as you would a girl!_

"You might want to close your mouth. I don't think you'll want to catch flies."

"Yeah, you're right." My mouth was now closed, thank Merlin.

"Albus, are your robes to small for you?" Mum asked, walking up to me. Then, she saw Scorpious. "Oh, why hello. How coincidental we run into one of your schoolmates."

"Don't be rude, Mum. Anyway, no, my robes fit perfectly fine. It was just Lily's that we to buy."

"Come along then, Albus. We must go to Flourish and Blott's for your new schoolbooks." Mum grabbed my wrist and started to drag me out of the shop. I shot on last glance at Scorpious before the shop door closed. 

…

It was odd how the Malfoys kept popping up. Not fifteen minutes after we had gotten to Flourish and Blott's did Scorpious and his father walk in. Of course, I didn't let Mum know this.

"Why can't I just use James' old books?" I asked, while stealing a glance at the younger Malfoy.

"Because he doodled in them, and they're used. I grew up with used things, Albus. I don't want you to have to do the same." _Sounds more like you just want to waste Dad's money on some crazy revenge scheme, but whatever._

Why was I doing this? Why did I keep wanting to look at Scorpious? Was Lily telling the truth? Am I gay? _Gay_? Really? Why did Merlin have to hit me with that kind of curse? Well, to be honest, I have no problem with gay people. They're people, too, after all. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for my mum. Truthfully, I don't know about my dad.

"Albus! What are you looking at?" Mum asked, having just caught me staring at Scorpious.

"Nothing, Mum."

This school year was going to be hell.

**Author's note: Now, please don't get offended by Ginny's views on homosexuality. I do not share it (I actually have a friend who's bisexual). Just by the way the Weasleys act, I feel like they're extremely medival with their views on sexuality. **

** I know I've been a real bitch by not updating for a while, but it was hard to work out how I was gonna write this chapter. It's not nearly as long as I would've like it, but it's gonna be good in the end. **

** I don't know how many chapters are going to be in this first book; but there are at least gonna be ten. I'm hoping for more, but I know how the last chapter's gonna go. I just have to figure out all the in-between chapters. **

** If you have any suggestions for what you want to see happen, let me know!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's note: Thank you JustMe90, Dobby'sPolkaDottedSocks, HugsandBugsSmileyface, HRLkittycat, and ncislover1111! I absolutely adore all of your guys' reviews! Remember, reviews bring faster updates.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything that Rose is obsessed with.**

...

Long good-byes always suck. Especially when you're eager to get on the train that's leaving in a minute, and your mum keeps you in a tight hug. That's what happened to me about an hour ago. Thankfully, I was able to get on the Hogwarts Express about ten seconds before it left. Being Mum's favorite child isn't the easiest thing in the world, trust me.

After I had escaped that ordeal, I went to the prefects' meetup, checked in all the compartments for any inappropriate behaviour. This is when I ran into my newfound crush and some Slytherin bird (I think it was Janiya Zabini). Scorpious was practically sucking her face off and she had her hand... well, I'll leave that up to your imagination. Let's just say, that while being a prefect has its perks, things happen to you, and you see stuff that you definitely wish you could erase from your memory.

Once that scarring experience was over, I found myself sitting with my brother and our cousin Rose. James was, uncharacteristically, staring out the window without saying a word. Rose was going on about some Muggle thing she had discovered over the summer, and was using words that were apparently from another language, of which I did not speak.

"Honestly, I think Italy is just kawaii," Rose said, finally taking a breath. She had been rambling on about whatever she was talking about for the past fifteen minutes.

"What the hell does 'kawaii' mean?" I asked, curious as to why she called a country... that.

"It means cute in Japanese!"

"Okay..." _My cousin is going insane, I swear! _"Why did you call a country cute?"

"Have you heard a word I've said? Italy is a character from a Muggle anime I discovered over the summer. I watched it on my computer, and it was-"

There she goes again. Talking about random stuff from this "amine" that I'd never heard of. Then again, I'm used to Rose doing this. She's always been the type to obsess over anything that she deems worthy of her time. Last year it was a different Muggle thing, called "Star Track". If you ask me, the girl needs to get a boyfriend.

"My friend, Amanda, said that Italy is definitely kawaii, but Germany is totally hot! I agree with her completely! Who wouldn't want to stare at those gorgeous muscles all day?" I instantly regretted tuning back in to what she was saying.

"Listen, Rose. I know you're in love with these characters, but it's just a book. You need to stop getting so... turned on by these fake people."

"It's an _anime_, Albus, a Japanese cartoon on the telly, or computer, in my case. Of course, there are also the mangas, which are a form of book. I got several doujinshis as well when I went to a convention in July!"

"What is a doujinshi?" I asked, with a feeling I'd rue this question later.

"A doujinshi is a Japanese form of a Muggle thing called 'fanfiction'. It's stories that you write about characters from a fandom you didn't create," she said, pulling a stack of books out of her school bag.

"Please tell me those books are the ones we need for school that you just happened to draw on," I stated as I saw an odd form of artwork on the covers. However, I had a feeling that those were actually the books that she had mentioned.

"Nope!" She pulled out one of the books and handed it to me. "This is the first manga book. You should read it! Honestly, you need to read more than just school books and all those 'classic' things. You _need_ to read it!"

"Rose, I don't _need_ to read any books besides the ones required for my classes," I said, while trying to hand the book back to her. She grabbed it, but instead of putting back in her bag, she put it in mine.

"Just read it, Al. Trust me, you won't regret it!" _Then why do I have a feeling I will?_ "You have to read it, too, James! I think you'll really enjoy it!"

James turned his head to glance at Rose, finally looking at something besides the window. "Honestly, Rose, from what you've said, it doesn't sound that interesting." He then proceeded to face back out the window.

"How could you say that reading and watching extremely cute guys do stuff isn't interesting?" She asked, stuffing all the books back in her bag.

"What kind of 'stuff', exactly?" James asked with a smirk. The normal (and pervy) side of my brother had resurfaced!

"I swear to Merlin, you're disgusting!" Rose looked indignant. "Why would I watch that kind of crap? Do you really think I'd sink that low?"

"No. Merlin, aren't you being touchy today." _Excuse me, Jamesie, but isn't that just a __**tad**__hypocritical of you? At all?_

"I'm not touchy!" Rose promptly stood up and walked out of the compartment.

"Nice going, James. You made her leave," I said, while changing my seat, so that I was now sitting across from my brother.

"It wasn't my fault she felt like being a bitch," he said, reclining lazily and resting his feet where I was previously sitting.

All of a sudden, the door opened, and revealed someone who I did and didn't want to see; Scorpious Malfoy.

"I wish to speak to you, Potter," he said, in his usual cold, "school" tone.

"Okay, okay. Don't get your knickers twisted," James said, and he started to stand up.

"Not you, git. I wanted to talk to _Albus_ Potter." His silver eyes now stared into my green ones. Rather, it felt more like his eyes were piercing into my soul, and could see my thoughts at that exact moment. _Let's just hope to Godric that he can't._

"Sure, I can talk," I replied.

"Speaking in private would be preferable."

"Why not?" I started to walk out with Scorpious when James cleared his throat.

"Anything you need to say to Al you can say in front of me," he said, now standing up. Grabbing me by the shoulder, he pulled me back into the compartment (damn those Quidditch muscles), and stood in front of Scorpious. I could see the Malfoy was slightly intimidated, and I didn't blame him. My brother is quite taller than him.

"And why, pray tell, can I not speak to him in private?"

"Because I've seen the way you look at him, _Slytherin_. You want to _shag the living daylights out of him_." Scorpious looked taken aback at this accusation.

"Not really, Pothead. Now, if you'll move, Albus and I were going somewhere." His tone had a chill to it. _I think my heart's broken into hundreds of little pieces._

"You do realize that I share a last name with my brother, correct? If you make fun of my last name, then you're also making fun of his." James put a 'superior' look on his face, even though his logic wasn't completely correct, nor superior.

"In case you were too stupid to notice, the insult was directed at you, not him." Scorpious then grabbed my arm, and dragged me down the hall. James, apparently, didn't notice that he was only blocking the left end, so it was easy to get inside an empty compartment at the right end of the car. 

...

After a few futile attempts, we were finally able to keep James out of our compartment. I think it might've had something to do with the fact that he had been hit with one of my bat-bogey hexes. I definitely inherited that from my mum.

Scorpious drew the curtain that would cover the glass door, so that no one could see in. For some reason, this made me feel slightly uncomfortable, yet relaxed.

"So," I started. "What'd you want to talk about?"

"I just wanted to say that I... I don't hate you. I may act like I do, but that's only to keep up appearences. You can't have a Malfoy hanging out with a Potter, right?" He said. _This is your chance! Tell him you're in love with him! _The evil devil voice was back. _I am not __**in love**__ with him! It's just a crush! He doesn't even like you, remember what he said to James!_

"I don't see any reason for you not to hate me. I'm everything your father's against. Hell, even though my parents are both magical, I'm not even a pureblood. My dad's mum was muggle-born." _That's it, _I thought. _Simply tell him not to befriend you. Easy._

"Please, Albus. Don't act like you've never done anything your parents wouldn't approve of. I mean, doing that kind of stuff with your brother doesn't exactly earn you points."

"What?" I was shocked. How did he even hear about Lily's lies? "Where did you hear that?"

"The Potterlet in my house, Lily."

"She's been going on about that rubbish all summer. Lily's had an obsession with making James and I get into trouble, though I don't know why she chose to say we were snogging. I mean, that's one of the least bad things she can say. She could've said James watched porn, or something."

"So you don't fancy blokes?" Scorpious asked. My ears were probably playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn I heard a slight tone of disappointment in his voice.

"I never said that," I stated quickly. "I meant I don't support incest."

"I don't blame you there. Purebloods inbreed so often that many of us end up with mental problems, such as my great-aunt Bellatrix. She died before I was born -it was actually your grandmother who killed her- but I've heard stories from my father." Scorpious now stood up.

"Is that all you wanted?" I asked, looking up.

"Not by far," Scorpious said in a low voice. Before I knew what was happening, the blond Slytherin's lips were atop mine. _HOLY MERLIN! He's __**kissing **__me! _Part of my brain wondered why, but the other half quickly responded to the kiss, and started to kiss back.

The kiss grew more passionate with every second. Scorpious slipped his tongue inside my mouth, and stated massaging my tongue with is own. He tasted like mint and chocolate; a perfectly delectable mixture. I entwined my hands in his platinum blond hair as he did the same to my messy black hair.

After what could've been five seconds or an eternity, he broke the kiss.

"I'm sorry," he said, and he reopened the compartment door. Scorpious then proceeded to briskly walk out, leaving me there to contemplate what the _hell_ had just happened. 

...

**Author's note: Sorry if the kissing scene is utter crap. It's my first time writing one, and it's not very easy. **

**Free virtual ice cream sundaes to anyone who can guess what anime Rose is in love with. **

**I again apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I had a tad bit of writer's block, that's why it took so long to update.**

**I would super appreciate feedback! I have had about ten alerts and four favorites, so I know people are reading this.**


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